Next Book focus - help me choose?
Writing a book has always come easy to me. My first was more of a booklet and related to work – The Post Office Guide to Maternity Benefits. I was a welfare officer (staff counsellor), working for the UK Postal Service and I wrote this book to bring together the state benefits and company support for pregnant workers. Back then it was typed and copied and used throughout the 180,000 strong organisation. This was in the late 1980s.
Early books
My next book, 17th Century Wedding Customs was written following a 17th century styled wedding. We were members of the Sealed Knot, reenacting the English Civil War and I did a great deal of research on customs and social history. We had a 17th Century banquet and the owner of that service was also a small publisher, so he brought out the book. I still get royalty cheques, and I know it has been used by researchers for TV and film. This was 1998.
How to Get a Job in a Recession was published in 2009. This followed me being on TV – Tonight with Trevor McDonald, helping unemployed graduates get a job, and the Director saying I should write a book so I did.
So, I brought out a book every 10 years.
And then publishers contacted me.
I was asked to write – Winning Interview Answers for First time Job Hunters (2009). I had no idea about contracts and found out I was to write to order; each chapter was highly defined and I wasn’t able to deviate. Part way through that and I was asked to write – Now You’ve Been Shortlisted (2010). This time I could create the structure and I was supported well by the publisher. eBooks had just come out and my royalties were 50% - they were paying for an annual long-haul holiday.
3 books in a year.
Then a book with Icon Books (2013), which changed its name from Getting the Job you Want to Find your Dream Job. They also brough out a special edition for Reading University, I think my royalties for that were 6 pence per book.
I’d learned a lot about publishing and a second edition of How to Get a Job in a Recession was launched in 2011.
Writing books helped my private career coaching work and lead to media work.
I was busy and didn’t think of another book. I’d created some online courses but marketing doesn’t come easy so they didn’t sell well. Looking back there were things I could have done, but didn’t know at the time.
How To Find Work at 50+
In 2015 I was approached by Trotman to write You’re Hired! Find Work at 50+ (2016). I was in my mid 50s at the time and this book led to me being seen as an expert in working with people of this age, and being asked to commentate on the radio and in many publications from Saga to GQ.
Work continued to do well, and I wasn’t thinking of writing another book.
But I was very interested in research and continued writing blog posts and articles.
Becoming a doctoral student
I’d been considering a PhD/ professional doctorate for years but never progressed beyond looking at the application form. What did I want to research, and how was I going to commit this to paper.
I was now approaching 60 and gaining clarity that I wanted to study later life. I’d considered an MSc in Gerontology, but after an informal chat was told I’d be bored and to consider a PhD.
I was approached by Kingston University, a couple of years before I’d contacted them regarding a Professional Doctorate – same standard as a PhD but they take previous academic and work experience into account. I had a Masters in Occupational Psychology, was a Chartered Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS). I filled in a form and waited.
Things were on hold. Then the programme moved to Birkbeck College, University of London and it was all systems go. Time to revise my application, submit, go for an interview (the day before I left for my first Vision Quest). 10 days later I learned I had a place on a cohort of 8.
I started in October 2019, a few months before covid. As the world changed in Spring 2020 all my client work stopped so I was a fulltime student by default. Everywhere I went I carried around 13 printed academic papers, the bedrock of the first half of my thesis.
My viva was in December 2021, and the award ceremony in May 2022. I’d intended to write an article and get it published in a top tier journal. I hadn’t realised how hard this was going to be, nor how expensive.
I decided to contact publishers, starting with those who had published my books. I was rejected. I was surprised, This was not what I expected. So, I broadened my search and Routledge said yes.
Rethinking Retirement for Positive Ageing
The process
Previous books followed the same pattern, write what is in my head, write based on what I already discuss with clients and let the structure evolve.
This time I needed to define what was going into each chapter. The discipline of that was good.
This time I was to be fully evidence based. This was to be the popular book from my thesis, still to use the research evidence but to be written in a more accessible style.
There was much more structure to the editorial process too. All milestone dates were set. I had to agree style sheets – what type of quote marks, how to abbreviate and much more. I only had one chance to review, it was not iterative. I wasn’t used to this but I got to value it.
Routledge bring out 1000 books a year and I didn’t get the marketing support I expected and I also wasn’t able to take control of how the book was described on Amazon, nor the categories. It did look dated compared to how many books are described. But I was with a major publisher and the book is out there.
I’m very pleased with Rethinking Retirement for Positive Ageing (November 2023). I love it when people tell me how helpful it is. I wish they would post a review on Amazon. But it is a chore for people. I get that.
And now my next book
As you have seen, I’ve mainly written to order. I’ve been approached and written the book. But what next?
When outlining my research ideas I had wanted to focus on elderhood and wisdom, but as I was under an Occupational Psychology Department my work had to be related to the work place. This is why I researched retirement.
Towards the end of my thesis I wrote:
My wider interest lies in how people can move beyond being seen as old, to being a respected elder within a society, able to share wisdom, and contribute from a position in life that people will want to aspire to. However, being an elder is much more than age. It is about knowing oneself and having a focus wider than the self (e.g., Hillman, 1999; Hollis, 2005; Pevny 2014; Plotkin 2008; Schachter-Shalomi & Miller 2014).
It was my plan to have this as the focus of my next book. Indeed, I end my book with
I’m in a happy place with my life; even looking back five years I would never have imagined that I would choose to work less and to spend more time in nature. I will continue to research around ageing, wisdom, and elderhood and already have things in hand for my next book.
I do have things in hand, I have sections of this book already written. But something made my pause.
And this is where I see us working together. Getting some input from you on what next.
I also have other ideas.
I travel in 7 weeks and I’d like to get clarity on my next book by then. Here are my options and I’m very open to your input. I want to hear from you even if it is just to cheer me on. I want us to be in this together.
And whichever book I write it’s going to be aimed at people like us, with practical activities for you to try out as we go. You can share as we go if you like, but it is not compulsory.
I haven’t defined book titles yet – I can easily use AI to generate them if I want but for now it is the content of the book.
So here are my 3 ideas.
I’m going to share a summary; I already have draft chapters set out and I’ll return to these when I hear back from you.
Book idea 1 – Ageing, Wisdom, Elderhood (Olderhood)
Moving on from late adulthood to elderhood. How people can move beyond being seen as old, to being a respected elder within a society, able to share wisdom, and contribute from a position in life that people will want to aspire to. Being an elder is more than an age, it is about knowing oneself and having a focus wider than the self.
I can see this as something that resonates with some but not all. Whilst I network with others who are interested in this topic, I know many for whom getting older is not something to consider, instead to remain as a teenager – living life large! Drinking, dancing, living old disgracefully. That’s not me, nor would they likely read my book.
I've also been thinking of the people the media show as role models - Bruce Springsteen and Grace Jones are not representative of people in their 70s. I want to see more people who are happy to see themselves as old and who may not be able to do everything, they used to do but gain joy from other things.
Book idea 2 – I’m Retired, now what?
I wonder if Rethinking Retirement is seen as a bit too academic, there are masses of references. Maybe I should create a version that is written in a different style. Easier to read, no references. I keep coming back to this, so wanted to see what you think. I put in my details into AI and it created a summary. Sounds pretty good, so I’ve done it for my other two options too.
Book idea 3 – getting older and embracing ageing: Finding Joy and Purpose in the Later Stages of Life
Sort of focused on Autumn years, when people are less focused on work and more adapting to later life. About accepting ageing, dealing with challenges, practical things to do with wills and dying. Some content on wisdom but less ‘intense’ than book 1. I know a lot about the psychology of ageing and the importance of our mental well-being. If we think that we are too old then we probably are, but the voice in our head can hold us back.
So, what do you think? Which book would interest you. I would love to know your thoughts.
And maybe it would help to read some example publicity for each book I’ve asked AI to create this based on the chapter outlines for all 3 books. So exciting!